Thursday, February 19, 2015

I'm 22nd

A few days ago 21 Christian men were martyred on the shores of Tripoli, Libya.  The back story is one of days of torture, trying to get these men to deny their faith in Christ.  None of them would deny Christ.  The results were seen on media around the world.  21 men werre willing to die rather than deny Christ!

Today, although they are dead to this world, they live with great joy in the presence of God.  Their names added to the martyr's hall of fame.  Men willing to die rather than deny Christ will be honored before the God they lived for....and died for.

As I thought about their stories, the days leading up to this day on the beach, there is a decision they had to make that determined life or death for them.   They chose Christ....and found real life!

I want to take my stand with these men, men I highly respect for their faith and add my name to the list.  I want to make the decision before it's ever necessary to say, "I would rather die than deny my Jesus!"  I hope I don't have to make that choice, but if it ever comes the choice is already made....I choose Jesus.

I'm 22nd.


5 comments:

Unknown said...

"I'm 22nd".

no you're not, you're a self serving, navel gazing hypocrite, and narcissist co-opting a tragedy to bring attention to yourself.

buy a plane ticket and fly over there and help your "Christian brothers" or please STFU.

ISiS and "American Christians" alike persecute LGBT American citizens. where's your outrage about that? where's your sense of humanity for their broken, beaten and murdered bodies? where's your "Christ-like" compassion and concern?

your "Christian" missionaries are the ones who gave birth to the "KILL THE GAYS" in Uganda movement. i call bullshit.

Mike Messerli said...

sadly, p mornak, you completely missed what I was saying. the whole point of this was not to bring attention to myself, just the opposite. And, if you knew me, and obviously you don't, you would know my love and care for LGBT people. I have them in my family and friendships. Shame on you for assuming otherwise! You can call it what you wish, but without knowing me it's all just words. One thing you don't know about me is that they key message of my life is the grace of God and how it works in each of our lives. I would love to meet you sometime and buy you dinner....and hear your story. It's clear you're angry, but realize that not all Christians should be targets of your venom. Thanks for your post.

Unknown said...

"And, if you knew me, and obviously you don't, you would know my love and care for LGBT people. I have them in my family and friendships."

but do you stand before bigoted Christians, face to face, and defend their dignity, and deny they are going to Hell?

Mike Messerli said...

Paul, I don't deal with anyone, Christian or non-Christian, Muslim or Atheist, as you have suggested. I wouldn't treat another human as you have treated me. You assumptions are that I would act as other Christians you may have encountered. I don't, I won't. Sorry.

Unknown said...

well, the chances are pretty slim that you won't be called upon to "give up your life for Christ", so this whole thread is patently pointless and serves no purpose at all other than to conflate you ego with theirs ~ with absolutely no justification for doing so. it's all sanctimonious, delusional twaddle.
in point of fact you're doing NOTHING for the people who face this horrific fate, but playing dress up with their bloody martyr's rags. your verbose orgy of self congratulation is really disgraceful. your posturing as a brave and selfless "Christian" while doing NOTHING to address the abuses by "Christians" is deplorable.

i'm painfully clear you "wouldn't treat another human as you have treated me." that would require actual HONESTY, and an actual point of view removed from our own self aggrandizing ego.